Modern life without media

The paper ” Modern Life without Media” is a brilliant example of an essay on sociology. Can you imagine modern life without media? It’s just impossible. Nowadays we cannot live without television, radio, newspapers, and magazines, CDs and the Internet. Thus, in modern world mass media becomes not only an effective means of presenting information but a powerful socializing agent. The educational aspect of media cannot be argued. It affects how we learn about the world and interact with one another, teaching us to perform certain roles as citizens, friends, workers, constructing our daily relations with family and friends. Through media we become more knowledgeable in issues which might never come to our mind, we might get new experiences and insights into unknown reality. On the other hand, we get more predictable and thus more controllable. As information in media is almost never presented in the form of share facts but reflects some individual vision of reality, people are often imposed on someone’s views and opinions. Under the impact of such projections, young personalities form their mindset and one can easily imagine how such influence can be disastrous or beneficial for a young mind. Media is integrated within human society so much that its role in economy, politics, religion, science, and culture is indispensable. It shapes our political and social views through news accounts and expert opinions of the main social processes (Croteau & Hoynes, 2000). It’s no wonder that authorities use mass media as one of the main instruments for influence and control over the public mind. For example, political leaders use mass media to cultivate the feeling of patriotism and cultivate national spirits. With the help of nationally specific news agendas media allows to reinforce or reproduce cultural and national identities. (Brookes 1999) Because of informational and educational potential of media, its powers can be used for good or evil. Such a powerful instrument in the evil hands can become a weapon of mass destruction. Used for good it has great educational and informative value.